The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1887-12-28
A Plea For Tho Birds.

| have read n good deal about the
damage done in late years by chinch
bugs, army worms, curculio, borers and
other insects 'too numerous to men
tion;" but few of tho writer's seem TO
think or be conscious of the real reason
for the increasing number and harmful
ness of these pests. But We do not have
TO go far TO find the reason, and il is
found in the widespread and outrageous
destruction Of our birds. Think Of the
enormous number of small birds re-
gnircd TO deck ladies' hats NOWADAYS;
and of tho ruined crops of hundreds of
farmers and fruit growers in the United
States, and ask if the latter is not the
result of the former. OF course it is; no
one will or can dispute it. What is to
be donc9 Something; and no timo
should be lost in doing it. The Amcri-
can Humane Society is, l think. doing
n good work in this direction, aud
would in time blot out the bird-killing
business, especially as an adjunct TO the
millinery trade of the country; but it
cannot work a reform soon enough 10
satisfy the pressing necessities of the
agriculture! interests. We must appeal
to law to stop tins indirect Matching and
raising OF myriads OF insects to destroy
IN SlOPo vi lDS utCI, IEulI RIOWeT
and market gardener.
do not think a law against catching
birds would do much good, for it would
not be enforced; but Think law pro.
hibiting milliners, both wholesale and
retail. from handling these ghostly orna-
nents would have the desired effect, and
with such a law we might, in time, have
our birds as plentiful and useful as they
were a few years ago, before this bloody
war or them began.
But small birds are not the only in
sect eaters that are bong extcrminated
for frivolous purposes. Tho prairie
chickens are falling by the thousand by
the ruthless hand of the market shooter
that vile blot upon the human race;
cruel as q fiend; grasping us & pliser;
lazy as a sloth; bralnless rs an idiot, and
for harmfulness ranking next to the
devil himself. Why allow this low-lived
specimen OF humanity to ply his das-
tardly and destructive work under tho
very nose OF the farmer he is injuring?
Why not send him to tho poorhousc.
asylum or ~penitentiary, where he could
be kept with much less expense to the
farmers, who arc now supporting himP
But here Is a point that puzzles me.
is 1t the shot, the blood, tho broken
bones, or the feathers, that makes prai-
RE chicken meat such a dolicacyP II
tame fowl were brought on the table in
the condition in which the prairie
chicken is usually served, it would he
considered entirely unfit to eat; so
don't think the cpicuroan public would
lose much IL prairie chicken shooting
should be prohibited by law the year
round, for at least five years, and longer
IT the birds were not plentiful enough at
the end of that time. / think there
would be little or no objection 10 such
q law. Every sportsman in the United
States would like 1T, and of course every
farmer would commend it; even the
market shooter would endorse it If he
q brains enougb 10 comprehend its
advantages, for now no can hardly earn
fifty cents a day, owing to tho scarcity
OF game, while five years of llns law
would be likely to leave u flock of the
Dirds on every ten-acro lot. Don't say
they would injure the crops then; surely
no candid person can think that. From
April LIST to July 10Th there is no grain
for them to get, SO during that time
they are waging n war Of extermina-
Q upon n great many kinds of harm
ful insects, and when the grain docs
come they still prefer insects for the
most OF their food, and only pick a little
grain to season the insects that, but for |
them, would do more damage on an
acre than the birds would do on ten. |
Then the grain is harvested inside OF |
two weeks after it becomes eatable for |
them, when they have TO fall back on
again.
Now here is a chance for some law
- lwA. -IN 80 4
glory. Who win come to the front and
the farmers crops from the ravages
of insects, and the birds from the merci- |
hunterP-J X McBroom, ia Farm,
Stock and Home.